International Journal of Agriculture Sciences ISSN: 0975-3710&E-ISSN: 0975-9107, Volume 10, Issue 5, 2018, pp.-5350-5352. Available online at http://www.bioinfopublication.org/jouarchive.php?opt=&jouid=BPJ0000217 Research Article FARMERS TRADITIONAL PRACTICES FOR PRE AND POST HARVEST PEST CONTROL IN CROP PRODUCTION DHANANIVETHA M.1, RAGAVAN T. 2, GOWTHAMI R.3, RAGHAVENDRA K. V.4 AND GANGADHARAN S.5 1,2Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India 3ICAR -Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, Delhi 110001 4Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine & Storage (DPPQS), Government of India 5Regional Plant Quarantine Station, Meenambakkam, Chennai, 600 027 Tamil Nadu *Corresponding Author: [email protected] Received: March 09, 2018; Revised: March 11, 2018; Accepted: March 12, 2018; Published: March 15, 2018 Abstract- Indigenous Technical Knowledge involves practices evolved by the farmers on their own experiences, which are passed from generation to generation. Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides in present day agriculture had led to deposition of toxic residues in the food materials. However due to awareness on the health food products interest was turned towards Indegenous technological practices followed by the farmers from the ancient times. In a way to create awareness a case study was undertaken to document the ITKs adopted by the farming community of Palamangalam, Konthalam, Sivagiri, Kolathupalayam, Vellotamparapu, Kolanelli and Kulavilaku villages of Modakurichi block, Erode District, Tamil Nadu during 2016. For gathering information from the farmers extension tools like by direct interview and group discussion methods were executed. About 80 practices were followed in these villages for pre and post harvest pest management methods in various agricultural crops like rice, castor, coconut and vegetables were documented. Based on the documented practices, it was concluded that the farmers had a brilliant approach in controlling the pest and disease by utilizing the naturally available resources which paves way for residue free food materials. Keywords- Insect management, Indigenous methods, residue free. Citation: Dhananivetha M., et al., (2018) Farmers Traditional Practices for Pre and Post Harvest Pest Control in Crop Production. International Journal of Agriculture Sciences, ISSN: 0975-3710 & E-ISSN: 0975-9107, Volume 10, Issue 5, pp.-5350-5352. Copyright: Copyright©2018 Dhananivetha M., et al., This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Introduction contact with the selected farmers. All the informations gathered from the informal Agriculture is a way of life in our country. Indian agricultural sector plays a crucial interviews were documented and scrutinized based on the repetition of information role in the economic development of the country because of its high share in by large members on confirmation. The documented ITKs related to pre and post employment and livelihood creation. With the availability of fixed land and harvest pest management of crops were furnished in [Table-1]. resources there is a need to produce enough food to meet the needs of our ever growing population. Cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables are the major Result and Discussion source of food materials. There are various reasons for lower production of our The results of the case study revealed that, the traditional knowledge gained by food crops such as insects, weeds, poor fertility and others. Among these factors the farmers from decades remarkedly helped to save the crop and improved the pest infestation causes serious loss in yield both under pre and post-harvest productivity and quality of the farm produce. Further, for the implementation of stages of the crop [1]. Controlling these pests by using chemicals has been ITKs, the farmers effectively chose the unlimiting available and renewable farm practiced indiscriminately nowadays resulted in resistance in pests and higher resources. Enough care taken by these farmers for execution of ITKs in following levels of residual toxicity resulting in environmental pollution by contaminating air, the procedures, collection and processing of inputs. The dried Notchi (Vitex soil and water which results in health hazards and harmful effect. Indigenous nedungi) leaves are placed in between the grain stored gunny bags to avoid Technical Knowledge is knowledge gained based on the experience and storage pests as ITK due to the presence of alkaloids in the leaves. The transferred from generation to generations. insecticidal, ovicidal, growth inhibition and morphological effects of the leaf materials protected the stored grains from pests [2]. Methodology Majority of the practices followed by the farmers as ITK were based on belief of A case study was conducted to document the valuable traditional knowledge the local people, though it had some scientific rationale and proven later by (ITKs) which are still being followed by the farmers in their day to day agricultural scientists. From the case study, among the 125 ITKs recorded 25 major ITKs production practices. A special emphasis was given to the pre and post-harvest followed for pest management in pre and post-harvest crop cultivation was pest management knowledge by these farmers. For this study, the villages namely discussed herewith scientific reasoning [Table-1]. The pulse beetle incidence in Palamangalam, Konthalam, Sivagiri, Kolathupalayam, Vellotamparapu, Kolanelli the storage of black gram and green gram was effectively managed by ITK of and kulavilaku village of Modakurichi block, Erode District, Tamil Nadu were mixing the seeds with neem leaves (Azadiracta indica). Neem leaf powder selected. From the villages about 150 progressive farmers were identified for the protects the seeds through its bitter principles called meliacins like azadiractin, study. The study was undertaken following the informal interviews/personnel International Journal of Agriculture Sciences ISSN: 0975-3710&E-ISSN: 0975-9107, Volume 10, Issue 5, 2018 || Bioinfo Publications || 5350 Farmers Traditional Practices for Pre and Post Harvest Pest Control in Crop Production nimbin and solanin [3]. Table-1 Farmers traditional practices for pre and post harvest pest control Crop Method Scientific background Paddy Dried Notchi leaves (4kg/100kg of seeds) are placed in between the storage ▪ Prescence of alkaloids induce pesticidal property. bags of paddy to avoid damage by storage insects. ▪ It possesses insecticidal, ovicidal, growth inhibition and morphogenetic effects against stored pest of paddy [2]. ▪ Protect the rice crop from brown plant hopper. Application of neem cake as basal manure. ▪ Facilitate uniform growth and remove insect egg mass and other major insect pests Clipping off the tip of rice seedlings before transplanting present on the leaf tips. ▪ Instantly kills the rat in the holes by its toxic fumes. Fumigating rat holes with Milagu (Piper nigrum and Piper longum) Maize Maize cobs after harvested were dried along with the outer sheath and dried up ▪ It prevent the attack of rats and stored pests. to the required moisture under open sunlight. The sheath along with grain is stored for seed purpose by hanging. Smoking under the cobs by using neem leaves Erecting bamboo sticks tied with bird feathers or coloured polythene sheets in the field ▪ Birds do not feed in the fields where bird feathers are present due to fear. Erecting bird pretches ▪ Polythene sheets generate sounds in wind [4]. ▪ Attract birds which are rodent eaters. Pulses Seeds stored for seed purpose is mixed with neem oil at 0.5 % ▪ Control seeds from all stored pests ▪ Neem oil act as repellent, Ovipositional deterrence, growth inhibition [5]. ▪ Prescence of anti-microbial and anti-fungal compounds such as allylthiosulfinate and Dried garlic is mixed at 100g/5kg of seed during storage diallyl disulfide-S-monoxide prevent the attack of pulse beetle [6]. Sorghum Seeds (1 kg) are soaked in cow dung (50 g) and urine (250 ml) for half an hour ▪ Cow urine contains 2.5% urea which is known to break dormancy and improve followed by sun drying them before sowing. germination [7]. ▪ Cow dung improves the longevity of seed. Redgram Putting the pods of dried chilli in the red gram container to controlled bruchids ▪ The chili powder contains capsacin which is known to inhibit lipid peroxidation which (beetle). in turn slows down seed ageing [8]. ▪ The toxic nature of bitter gourd repel stored pests and pathogens associated with seeds [9]. Bitter gourd was powdered and mixed with seeds. Black gram Dried neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder is mixed with black gram and ▪ Neem leaf powder protect the seeds from through its bitter principles called Green gram green gram to avoid the attack of pulse beetle. Meliacins like azadirachtin, nimbin, salannin etc., [3] Gingelly Placing Vasambu (Achorous calamus) along with sesame. ▪ Vasambu repel the pest and safe guard the seeds. Spreading dried chilli over the surface of gingelly. Coconut 250 g of sand mixed with 100 g of neem seed powder is placed at the base of ▪ Sand mixed with neem powder will enter into the neck of the bettle and due to the leaf sheath coarse nature, the neck will be cut off while turning its head. Cotton Cow urine is collected and kadukkai (Terminda chebula nuts) seed which has ▪ high bitter taste is allowed to ferment for 30 days. After fermentation it is filtered and sprayed to control pests of cotton. Leaves of Calotropis is placed in the irrigation channels or a little quantity of ▪ castor oil is added to the irrigation water to control aphids in cotton. Natural insect Neem leaves, Datura leaves, Pungam leaves and Calotropis leaves were mixed ▪ Strong odour of pongamia leaves repels storage insects [10]. repellent equally by chopping into small pieces. It is allowed to soak in 10 liter cow urine for 7 days. After seven days it is mixed in a ratio of 1:10 with water and sprayed to crops. It controls sucking pest infection.